THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple will ban entry of devotees from Saturday. Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the government approved the Guruvayur Devaswom managing committee’s decision in the wake of the rise in Covid-19 cases in Thrissur district. “Chavakkad municipality and a grama panchayat near the temple (Vadakekkad) have been declared containment zones.
Also, the number of Covid-19 cases has increased in Thrissur forcing the committee to take the decision,” Kadakampally said. Cases have been spiking in Thrissur, ever since people from abroad and other states started reaching the state. In the last one week, 123 new cases were reported.
With 14 fresh names added to the patients’ list on Friday alone, the number of active cases in the district has gone up to 157. Kadakampally said the government is of the view that all kinds of crowds should be avoided. Two prescheduled weddings at the temple will be permitted on Saturday while only rituals will continue as normal from Sunday.
Guruvayur temple had reopened on Tuesday
The temple had reopened after the lockdown on Tuesday. Darshan was allowed through a virtual queue management system in which devotees were given QR code passes. A total of 88 devotees turned up at the temple on Tuesday though there were around 300 bookings. The temple had made elaborate safety arrangements including two-metre social distancing. The devotees were permitted through the East Nada where they had to undergo thermal screening and hand washing. A medical team was in charge of the screening.
COVID DEATH TOLL IN STATE GOES UP TO 19
Kannur: The death toll due Covid-19 rose to 19 in Kerala on Friday. Irikkur, Kannur, native Hussan Kutty, 71, who reached Kannur from Mumbai by train on June 9, is the latest victim. Hussan, who had been under observation since his return, breathed his last at the District Hospital in Kannur. After he developed fever and diarrhea, Hussan was first admitted to Ancharakkandi hospital on Wednesday. His condition deteriorated on Thursday night and he died following a cardiac arrest at 11.15pm. The results of his swab samples on Friday showed he was infected.